top of the hill

The border of area runs northeast along a ridgeline, before turning southeastwards along a drainage line from the summit.

This morning I walked the circuit up the near side of the hill, and then looping back through the Florula Urbana area on the far side of the hill.

Near the summit are three species not found at lower altitudes - heather (Calluna vulgaris), bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and heath bedstraw (Galium saxatile). At the same location, but probably also to be found elsewhere, is common orache (Atriplex patula).

On the reverse side of the hill I found second localities for sticky groundsel (Senecio viscosus), hairy bindweed (Calystegia pulchra), and hop trefoil (Trifolium campestre). I also encounted a ragwort (Senecio sp.) that I couldn't place (perhaps a short-ligulate form of common ragwort).

[Hop trefoil is probably widespread in the area, but earlier in the year it is difficult to distinguish from black medick.]

Down in the town, in an area of scrubland between housing estates, were gorse (Ulex europaeus) and Japanese knotweed (Persicaria japonica) - these can be found elsewhere, but I seem to have neglected to record them.